In April 2013, a new series premiered on Netflix. It was based on a book series of the same name written by Brian McGreevy, who also executive-produced with Eli Roth and others.
Two months later, the second season was renewed and the show earned the first Primetime Emmy Award nomination for an original online series, along with two other online original series.
The show was groundbreaking for a number of reasons — not the least of which, because it redefined horror television's role in the streaming space. Because Netflix was not limited by broadcast standards or ad parameters, it didn’t have to soften its edges.
Hemlock Grove also treated horror like prestige television rather than a cheap thrill. The series teased viewers with slow-burn dread, a serialized mystery, and morally complex characters — which also, incidentally, helped to legitimize the adaptation of horror literature.
It also earned one of the first Primetime Emmy Award nominations for original online series, which further solidified Netflix's “Take the Risk” philosophy and showed that online television could artistically and critically compete with broadcast productions.
While the show is no longer available to stream on Netflix, you can still catch the series on multiple streaming platforms, including Shudder. And, now would be a perfect time to revisit the book.
What is Hemlock Grove About?
The show is centered around the fictional town of Hemlock Grove in Pennsylvania. The town has recently experienced a number of murders, causing rumors and distrust among the population to grow. Peter Rumancek (Landon Liboiron), the newest resident of Hemlock Grove who is rumored to be a werewolf, is immediately one of the suspects.
Determined to prove his innocence, he finds an unlikely ally in Roman Godfrey (Bill Skarsgård), heir to the town’s wealthiest family. Together, the pair attempts to solve the murders before their own dark secrets come to light.
Seasons two and three continue to follow Peter and Roman as they face various obstacles and struggles in and around Hemlock Grove. The cast of characters also expands bringing more secrets, deeper layers to the town’s history, and escalating the danger of everyone living in the small town.
Who stars in Hemlock Grove?
Photo Credit: NetflixBill Skarsgård and Landon Liboiron star as the two main characters of the show, but the incredible casting doesn’t stop with them. Dougray Scott plays Dr. Norman Godfrey, the lead psychiatrist at Hemlock Acres Hospital, and Famke Janssen is Olivia Godfrey, head of the Godfrey Institute for Biomedical Technologies.
The pair represent the two main employment sectors of Hemlock Grove. Rounding out the cast is Penelope Mitchell, Freya Tingley, Kaniehtiio Horn, Nicole Boivin, and Joel de la Fuente.
Will there be more seasons of Hemlock Grove?
The show enjoyed three seasons on Netflix from 2013 – 2015. Season three was intentionally written and produced to be the last and final season of the show, closing out the storylines entirely.
As of today, there are no plans or announcements to add more seasons or release any spin-offs of the show.
Why was the show removed from Netflix?
In 2022, Netflix announced that the show would be removed in its entirety from the site. Despite being an original Netflix series, their rights to the show expired that year, and Netflix chose not to renew them.
What is the book about?
The book follows season one fairly closely, but instead of two girls, it’s one girl that’s murdered at the beginning. She’s found near the abandoned Godfrey Steel mill, the closing of which caused the town to divide between the poor and the wealthy.
Rumors immediately spring up that something escaped White Tower, a biotech facility owned by the Godfrey family, where biological experiments take place. Others blame high school student Peter Rumancek who some say is a werewolf.
And then there are those who think Roman Godfrey, young heir to the family fortune, did it. The two decide to work together to prove their innocence before their own dark secrets are exposed.
Are there more books about Hemlock Grove?
Even though there are three seasons in the show, the book is a standalone that was published in 2012. In 2015, McGreevy released a novella, Desire, which serves as a prequel to the novel and focuses on a gentleman’s club called Paradise.
There is also a prequel graphic novel to help introduce fans to the book.
Watch the trailer for Hemlock Grove
Where can I watch Hemlock Grove?
The show can currently be found on several streaming sites including AMC+, FilmRise, and Shudder.
Featured still via Netflix.
